Ramadan Day 2, 2017 – Reflection

So why is Ramadan a special month for Muslims?

THE LIVING MIRACLE

We ask for miracles every day and especially more so when faced with a disaster or calamity because miracles are things that only God can do. So how do we know God exists? Being an infinite being, how can we proof His existence? Is it even possible for us to use something limited, like our five senses to measure something that is infinite? Yet God in His mercy has given us many proofs but some of us still remain doubtful. His clearest and biggest signs being His miracles and He does them not only once but every day and second in our lives. They are everywhere but we hardly notice or ponder deeply about them.

– Waking up alive every morning

– The birth of a child

– A fireman escaping a burning building alive with a survivor

– A person cured of a terminal illness like cancer

– A horrific accident but left none dead

– The Earth being precisely placed in an orbit that is not too far or close to the sun

And much more…

A miracle is an event not explicable by natural or scientific laws. It is God’s proof to us of His existence and infinite wisdom. By looking at his creations and pondering deeply about His miracles, we come to believe in Him. Much like looking at footprints left on the sand and instinctively you know that a person once walked by, The Creator’s footprints are His creations. Miracles exist and when it’s over, people are left in wonder and amazement. Life itself is a miracle so should we then not ponder deeply about the source of its beauty and show our gratitude to The Creator?

Today a living miracle is among us and had been around since 1400 years ago, but are we aware of it? Or are we assuming to know all about it? Unlike all miracles that had happened before or that is happening now, this miracle is widely available and is something that you can hold, read and ponder deeply about. As mentioned earlier, miracles come and go and are specific to a person or a group of people at that time but today and since 1400 years ago, this miracle still exist and God promises that He will preserve it until The End of Time. This miracle was meant for all of us and the Jinns (Spirits) but will you still believe it or simply dismiss it?

God is now communicating to us directly with a clear message and for us to be receiving His words purely itself is a miracle. These words were delivered 1400 years ago by the Angel Gabriel to an illiterate at a time when linguistics, literature, and poetry were at its peak in Arabia. A person who wrote or spoke beautifully and eloquently was considered of high social standing among the learned. So God deliberately revealed His words during such a time to an illiterate, so that none would assume he spoke them through his own intellect and ability.

Over the span of 23 years, the Angel Gabriel delivered these words from God to Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. Whatever he heard, he would repeat word for word to the people as they listened in awe. These words were recited and those who heard it believed it was from God for it resonated deep in their hearts as they were closely related to what Jesus, Moses, Abraham and all the prophets of the past, peace be upon them all, had taught them. The people then started memorising these words, recited them along with Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, and passed them on from generation to generation. This oral tradition still exists today and many years after the death of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, they were compiled into a book, known today as the Qur’an. Since it was transpired through oral tradition, it also meant that these words, since 1400 years ago, remained alive in the memories of men and so its text was easy to reproduce over and over again in its entirety. This being one of the many reasons why Muslims considered the Qur’an to be a living miracle for it came directly from God and that it could never be destroyed.

How do we know that it is really God’s words and why is it a miracle?

There are any reasons that scholars came up with but here are just my first 10 reasons.

1) CONTAINS DIVINE KNOWLEDGE AND WISDOM

Some of many God’s attributes are that He is All-Wise and All-Knowing, so when communicating with His creation, His words are perfect, eloquent and full of knowledge and wisdom. Knowledge that encompasses things that happened in the past, that is happening now and that are about to come. Not a leaf falls in the forest without God’s permission. The Qur’an talks about the beginning of time even before the first man, Adam was created until The Last Day of all creation. In also contains:

– Prophecies and Revelations.

– Words found in the Torah (Jewish Scripture) from Moses, peace be upon him.

– Words found in the Bible and the Gospel of Jesus, peace be upon him.

– Words found in the Psalms of David, peace be upon him.

– Historical accounts of events that happened in the past (E.g. how the Persians defeated the Romans)

– A full chapter on the story of Mary, the mother of Jesus, peace be upon them both.

– Scientific facts and discoveries and even with some discoveries which Science has yet to uncover)

– Teaches men about ruling and socialism

– Teaches men how to distribute wealth justly

– Teaches both men and women how to protect their modesty

– Teaches men how to be just when resolving disputes

– Teaches men how to put their desires under control and find peace

– Teaches men the ethics of war

– Teaches men how to pray and worship God

– Teaches men to be charitable and to care for nature and the environment

– Teaches men to be kind and loving to their parents

– Teaches men to be successful in this life and the hereafter

and much more…

2) NO CONTRADICTIONS

Coming from God who is All-Wise, the Qur’an has no contradictions. It is a book that has only one version with no alteration and is very clear on its message and instructions. Today one will still find the original language that the Qur’an was written in.

3) A LENGTHY BOOK MADE EASY TO MEMORISE AND SHARE

As mentioned before, this book lives even in the memories of men and today, out of 1.8 billion Muslims in the world, millions have memorised the Qur’an from cover to cover, making it the world’s most easy book to memorise even with its lengthy text. In every country, there is at least one person who has memorised the entire book. The book consists of 6666 verses that make up a total of 144 chapters with:

a) 1000 verses about promising (wa’ad)

b) 1000 about threat (wa’id)

c) 1000 command (amr) verses

d) 1000 forbiddance (nahy) verses

e) 1000 information and story verses

f) 1000 warning and example verses

g) 500 verses about ruling

h) 100 verses about invocation and glorification

i) 66 “nasih and mansuh” (“the abrogating and abrogated”) verses

Furthermore, one can read the Qur’an from any page with the message and meaning intact for the book has no linear structure to it.

4) IS SCIENTIFICALLY ACCURATE

The Qur’an was revealed at a time when technology was still in its infancy. There were no microscopes or telescopes available 1400 years ago yet the Qur’an reveals Scientific facts as vast as the universe, as detailed as to how planets orbit around the Sun and the Big Bang theory to something as small and microscopic as embryology. It also covers geography, like how mountains were formed and biology, like how our skin have pain receptors.

5) IT SPEAKS TO PEOPLE OF ALL SOCIAL STATUS AND EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND

The Qur’an is easily understood by people of all social status and educational background so much so that even an uneducated person or a child would understand its core message perfectly, that there is only one God who is The Creator of all things. It does not bid around the bush and create illustrations of other Gods nor does it say that God has a child.

6) IT ADDRESSES INJUSTICES IN THE WORLD AND CHANGES LIVES

The Qur’an uplifts the status of women in society and empowers them. It may come as a surprise to you but the majority of reverts to Islam today are educated women. The Qur’an also asks men to protect the inheritance of orphans and abolishes racism. One will be surprised to know that the majority of Muslims are not Arabs but non-Arabs and during the Hajj, people from all walks of life, social status and skin colour come together in prayer to complete the pilgrimage.

7) CONTAINS THE CORNERSTONE OF BELIEF

God describes who He is explicitly in the Qur’an and His attributes.

8) THE ENTIRE BOOK CAN BE COMPLETED IN RECITATION

When listening to the recitation of the Qur’an, one will come to hear a melodious tune to it that resonates within the heart of those who believe. It is known to have softened hearts made of stones and bring tears to the eyes. It also brings people together to establish prayer in a congregation.

9) THE ONLY HOLY BOOK THAT CHALLENGES PEOPLE TO DISPROVE IT

The Qur’an challenges men to call all his helpers and even Jinns (Spirits) to his aid in order to disprove its authenticity by reproducing a chapter or even a single verse like it. The shortest chapter, Al-Kawthar, consists of only ten words making up three verses. This challenge has stood for 1400 years and still remains undefeated. Nobody was able to reproduce a text like it with its eloquence, knowledge, structure, depth and complexity.

10) THE BOOK ENJOINS GOOD AND FORBIDS EVIL, IT ALSO PROMISES PARADISE TO THE BELIEVERS AND WARNS THE DISBELIEVERS OF ETERNAL DAMNATION

The Qur’an mentions that in order for us to enter paradise one simply need to believe that there is only one God and that He alone is only worthy of worship. It also mentions that many prophets and messengers were sent out to the world with this message with the last messenger being Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. If we believe in this fully and declare it, we are guaranteed paradise but that does not mean we do not have to still work hard for it. The believers will still be held accountable for their sins in the hereafter and be purified before they can enter Jannah (Paradise). God promises us in the Qur’an that the ultimate reward for the believers in paradise is to be able to see His face. For God will only physically appear before a purified soul for He is covered in shades of light.

Today, 1.8 billion Muslims celebrate the day that the Qur’an was first revealed to, Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, by the Angel Gabriel.

This book is the reason why Muslims fast for a month and during Ramadan complete reciting all the words from Qur’an from cover to cover in a congregation.

This book is the reason why 1.8 billion Muslims wake up before the sunrise with their families to have a light meal together and pray before fasting for the next 14 hours.

This book is the reason why 1.8 billion Muslims pray intensively during the last third of the night and seek God’s forgiveness for it was mentioned that God will be at the lowest heaven during this time to accept our repentance and to hear our supplications.

This month, our good deeds will be multiplied in many folds and our sins are forgiven.

This book reveals so, and 1.8 billion Muslims have followed it since 1400 years ago.

Do you still not see that Qur’an is a miracle before us? If you are sincerely seeking the truth and the purpose of this life then read this book. Ask any Muslim and he or she will gladly pass it to you for free or share it with you and hopefully and God Willing, you will be moved by His words even if it is only a translation.

“So indeed there has come to you clear proof from your Lord, and guidance and mercy. Who is then more unjust than he who rejects Allah’s messages and turns away from them? We reward those who turn away from Our messages with an evil chastisement because they turned away.”